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  1. #1
    Big Traveler CWSWine's Avatar
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    What do you do when you leave your house for a extended trip

    I see a lot of what you need to put in your 5er for trip but very little about what you do to home to prepare it for extended absence. Some of the things we do are:

    Mail Hold
    News paper Hold
    Shut water off
    Turn down thermostat (put in vacation mode)
    Lock dead bolts
    Auto on/off lights (make sure they are LED lights)
    Notify Neighbors and give contact info
    Check fridge for items that will spoil burning the absence.

    Those are the normal things we do but a friend recommended we take a baggy and put several ice cubes in it and place in the freezer and if they are melted when you get home you know power went out or freezer had problem.

    Anyone else have any suggestions?
    Dennis & Ellie
    Current 2017 Newmar Ventana Class A & 1994 Airstream Excella Classic Limited Project
    Sold - 310-GK-R Delivered 28 Oct 2016
    2016 GMC Denali 1 Ton Diesel SRW Payload 3727LBS B&W Hitch

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper Bob/OlallaWA's Avatar
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    Oct 2015
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    Kitsap Co WA/Bullhead City AZ
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    Trip electric breakers not needed, especially the water heater and unplug the electronics. The ice cubes in a bag is a good idea for sure.
    2019 GMC 3500 HD:)
    2016 Reflection 313RLTS:cool:

  3. #3
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    We don't do anything - we just sold the house before we left...

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  4. #4
    Rolling Along
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    Shut the water off at the street, drain water lines and hot water heater, antifreeze in the traps, clear out fridges and shut them off, set up a remote temp. alarm system, timer lights. Basically we winterize the house, but leave the heat on at 50 degrees. If the power goes out or the furnace quits, it doesn't matter. If we are on the road, I don't need to be worried about the house.

  5. #5
    King Pin
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    We hit the road several months out of the year. One thing we did was to purchase a large fire resistant safe. All valuables and important documents are stored inside the safe when we leave. If there is a fire or burglary, those items will still be secure.

    In addition to your list, we always shut off the water heater breaker. Also, we have a neighbor that checks out our yard for any advertisements, etc. that may indicate you're not home.

    Jim

  6. #6
    Setting Up Camp
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    Take a plastic cup and freeze water in it, then leave a coin on top. If the power goes out for a long duration the coin will be at the bottom if not such a long time the coin will be up higher.

  7. #7
    Fireside Member
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    Just a warning on if you do come home to a house that has no heat and everything is frozen. Do not crank up heat to 70. heat the house up slowly. I had a friend who had a home in Wisconsin that the heat failed and he got furnace working and set temp at 70. He did more damage from the rapid heating than the cold did. His wood floors cracked, cabinets cracked etc... Fortunately he did have water drained out of pipes and hot water heater.
    2018 Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn Southfork Edition 6.7 Cummins Crew Cab 4x4, Blue Ox WDH.
    2017 Imagine 2800BH
    Previous: 2012 Keystone Passport 245rb

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper Devinh2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TucsonJim View Post
    We hit the road several months out of the year. One thing we did was to purchase a large fire resistant safe. All valuables and important documents are stored inside the safe when we leave. If there is a fire or burglary, those items will still be secure.

    In addition to your list, we always shut off the water heater breaker. Also, we have a neighbor that checks out our yard for any advertisements, etc. that may indicate you're not home.

    Jim

    Hey Jim, just an FYI: Don't be so secure about all your stuff in your safe being "safe" if its in a fire. They advertise that it is 'fire resistant' for certain amount of time, BUT, if the fire is hot enough it will melt and damage items inside. As a 20 year Firefighter I can attest to people losing lots of stuff thinking this way. Just something to think about. Any important papers or plastics (hard drives, flash drives, etc..) I store in a safe deposit box.
    Devin & Roberta & Bizee (Border Collie)
    2015 Ram Laramie Cummins w/Aisin 4.10 CC LB 4x4
    Titan 55 Gal midship fuel tank
    2018 384GK Solitude
    B & W Companion Hitch
    4 - 165 watt solar panels, 2800 watt Magnum inverter
    Blue Sky 30/24il controller, 4 FullRiver 6V 250AH Batts

  9. #9
    New Member
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    Advise suppliers, put landline and TV on vacation mode. It will cost $5 or $10 per month. If changing cell when across border, say U S, put Canadian cell on vacation mode.
    .
    If you live off grid secure tracking solar panels and take down wind turbine.
    .
    Fully winterise house as off griders have no heat.

  10. #10
    Long Hauler LCBoyer's Avatar
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    I have good neighbors who look after our house
    2018 Freedom Elite 24FE, 2 Yorkies, and my wife MARILYN, HAM call K0LCB. Traveling around this great country, making friends and seeing lot of beautiful and interesting places

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